Iku Quest Otto - A Z-Machine Adventure

[Kilgamayan]

> "Normally I would not, but she seemed willing to respond in kind yesterday, and a fight between the two of you could now serve a purpose. While I can't tell you directly what exactly is going to happen, I can tell you I need you to be a distraction, and I can encourage you to think about the situation. We both know I can get back into the mansion if I need to without such a distraction, and I've told you that we need additional information, information that does not apply to just humans or magicians. Why do you think I might need Meiling distracted away from the gate, then?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "Normally I would not, but she seemed willing to respond in kind yesterday, and a fight between the two of you could now serve a purpose. While I can't tell you directly what exactly is going to happen, I can tell you I need you to be a distraction, and I can encourage you to think about the situation. We both know I can get back into the mansion if I need to without such a distraction, and I've told you that we need additional information, information that does not apply to just humans or magicians. Why do you think I might need Meiling distracted away from the gate, then?"

>Tenshi gives you a look for a moment, her brow screwed up. Then she raises her eyebrows and says, "Oh! Okay! I can do that."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Excellent. Come with me, I will explain the details along the way."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Excellent. Come with me, I will explain the details along the way."

>"Kay."
>She calls back into the house, "She's still okay!"
>"We gathered!" Parsee calls back.
>She steps out and closes the door behind her.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "All right. Let's go, then."
> Take off for the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
> Along the way, resume the planning conversation.
> "Okay, Tenshi, what I need from you is to generally be a nuisance and cause a distract away from the gate. Ideally, what you could do is find a part of the outer wall that's not very visible from the gate and just kind of dance around and over it. Perhaps you also could threaten to kick around any flowers you may find on the mansion grounds. I will tell Meiling that you're trying to get onto the mansion grounds by going over the wall and that you seem to want to fight her. This will hopefully get her away from the gate long enough for someone to get through it without being noticed. Does all this sound okay to you?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "All right. Let's go, then."
> Take off for the Scarlet Devil Mansion.
> Along the way, resume the planning conversation.
> "Okay, Tenshi, what I need from you is to generally be a nuisance and cause a distract away from the gate. Ideally, what you could do is find a part of the outer wall that's not very visible from the gate and just kind of dance around and over it. Perhaps you also could threaten to kick around any flowers you may find on the mansion grounds. I will tell Meiling that you're trying to get onto the mansion grounds by going over the wall and that you seem to want to fight her. This will hopefully get her away from the gate long enough for someone to get through it without being noticed. Does all this sound okay to you?"

"Oh," says Tenshi. "I was just going to walk up to her and call her out. But I guess that works too."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Yes, getting her away from the gate entirely is what's important here. Now, feel free to fight to your heart's content, but make sure you don't say anything about me being involved. You can say you're there to pick that fight from yesterday, and that Meiling would probably fight better if she's actually doing her job than if you just challenge her to a sparring match. Do with her as you please, though try to avoid getting seriously hurt yourself. Also, if she sends Amaya after you first...please try not to be too hard on her."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Yes, getting her away from the gate entirely is what's important here. Now, feel free to fight to your heart's content, but make sure you don't say anything about me being involved. You can say you're there to pick that fight from yesterday, and that Meiling would probably fight better if she's actually doing her job than if you just challenge her to a sparring match. Do with her as you please, though try to avoid getting seriously hurt yourself. Also, if she sends Amaya after you first...please try not to be too hard on her."

>"Alright," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> When approaching the Scarlet Devil Mansion gate, what compass direction as we facing, and on which side of our point of view is the lake?
> "When your fight is over, do whatever you need to do to Meiling, and then head back to Maribel's, okay? I will take care of the rest."

[Hello Purvis]

> When approaching the Scarlet Devil Mansion gate, what compass direction as we facing, and on which side of our point of view is the lake?
> "When your fight is over, do whatever you need to do to Meiling, and then head back to Maribel's, okay? I will take care of the rest."

>You would be facing southward, as the gate opens to the north. The lake would be north of you, and behind you.
>She nods. "Got it. It's not a problem when I beat her, right?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Turn to Tenshi and grin.
> "You'd better beat her. I won't let you live it down if you lose to someone like her while you have that sword."

[Hello Purvis]

> Turn to Tenshi and grin.
> "You'd better beat her. I won't let you live it down if you lose to someone like her while you have that sword."

>"Don't worry," she says. "Just I might win too fast."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "If you're going to win too fast, just make sure to leave her in a condition where she can't get back to her post immediately after you leave. Anyone that happens to sneak in will also need to sneak out."

[Hello Purvis]

> "If you're going to win too fast, just make sure to leave her in a condition where she can't get back to her post immediately after you leave. Anyone that happens to sneak in will also need to sneak out."

>"No problem," says Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "And remember: you're causing a disturbance and picking a fight because you want to. Which I imagine is not very far from the actual truth."

[Hello Purvis]

> "And remember: you're causing a disturbance and picking a fight because you want to. Which I imagine is not very far from the actual truth."

>"Well, not really," she says. "I was just trying not to make things worse."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Oh. Well. Still, you don't seem very eager to turn this opportunity down."

[Hello Purvis]

> "Oh. Well. Still, you don't seem very eager to turn this opportunity down."

>"Naw, figure I can help out a little bit," she says.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "Excellent. I knew I could count on you for this. Okay, let's get ready. It won't do if we're seen coming in from the front."
> Change our flight course to something more southeast, so we end up flying toward the eastern part of the outer wall.

[Hello Purvis]

> "Excellent. I knew I could count on you for this. Okay, let's get ready. It won't do if we're seen coming in from the front."
> Change our flight course to something more southeast, so we end up flying toward the eastern part of the outer wall.

>You change course and approach the eastern wall. The forest is moderately thick here, and the ground is covered with many dead leaves.
>"You want me to go over here?" asks Tenshi.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "I just sort of chose a side at random. Do you think the western wall would be better?"

[Hello Purvis]

> "I just sort of chose a side at random. Do you think the western wall would be better?"

>"Naw," she says, "It doesn't make any difference. I'll just go over here."
>She looks toward the wall, then frowns. "Um...On second thought. I think we need a new plan. This one's....really bad."

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Look toward the wall ourselves. What's going on?

[Hello Purvis]

> Look toward the wall ourselves. What's going on?

>You look toward the wall. Nothing really seems unusual or frightening about it.

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> How high is the wall?
> Are there any people visible?
> Are there any windows visible?
> If there are no people visible, say "Huh? Why? What's wrong?

[Hello Purvis]

> How high is the wall?
> Are there any people visible?
> Are there any windows visible?
> If there are no people visible, say "Huh? Why? What's wrong?

>It's about nine or so feet high.
>You can't really see the mansion from here.
>"It's..." Tenshi says, "It's just those walls are bad news! Seriously! I can feel it in my bones, it'd be really stupid to try to go over them. Let's just go with my plan, okay?"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> Given Tenshi an incredulous look.
> "...What? Really?"

[Hello Purvis]

> Given Tenshi an incredulous look.
> "...What? Really?"

>"You think I'm making this up?" she says. "You go over it!"

>_

[Kilgamayan]

> "No, I don't, because you're not the first person to say this. But I don't get it at all. You're seeing something that I don't, just like that other person."
> Cautiously fly upward a bit, keeping an eye on the wall top for any irregularities.

[Hello Purvis]

> "No, I don't, because you're not the first person to say this. But I don't get it at all. You're seeing something that I don't, just like that other person."
> Cautiously fly upward a bit, keeping an eye on the wall top for any irregularities.

>"I don't get it either," she says. "But it's kinda obvious when you look at it..."
>You fly upward, and peek over the wall. There doesn't seem to be anything especially sinister about. Looking past it, you can see the statue garden; it doesn't seem anyone is in there.

>_